Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Senator Jaffer, first of all, thank you for your very kind words. My mother raised me well. She said always accept a compliment even when it’s not quite deserved, and I feel in this case it isn’t deserved but it’s much appreciated.

I certainly will make inquiries. This is a situation that is troubling, not only to Canadians like you and others who are working hard on behalf, but most importantly for those either still in Afghanistan or in other countries waiting to be processed. I will do my best to get answers.

Senator Gold: I infer from your statement that you would like me to inquire as to whether the government is pursuing this, and I would do so gladly.

Senator Plett: Thank you.

Some Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

[Translation]

Hon. Robert Black: Honourable senators, I rise today to highlight Canada’s sixth annual Agriculture Day, which takes place tomorrow on February 22. Since 2016, this annual celebration marks a time to engage in and support discourse around Canada’s agricultural community and the important role it plays in our domestic food supply chain.

First and foremost, tomorrow’s event celebrates our agricultural and agri-food industry, as well as the pride we share in growing food, but it also presents an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the producer and consumer. I am immensely proud of our agricultural community, especially in light of the challenges agricultural workers have all faced over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have adapted quickly, worked to keep their employees safe and healthy, kept our grocery store shelves full and continued to support vulnerable members of our communities by donating their products to those in need.

While tomorrow is a time to celebrate this historic industry, it is also a time to reflect on and consider the challenges currently facing Canada’s agricultural sector. As many of you know, I have previously called attention to the challenges facing the agricultural community — from labour shortages to the work required to make the industry greener and more sustainable. Across the board, it is clear our farmers, producers, processors and everyone involved along the supply chain are working tirelessly to ensure they can overcome these challenges and continue feeding not only Canadians but the world. However, it is also clear that they need our support. Canada’s Agriculture Day represents an opportunity to learn how we can offer that support to our farmers and to thank them for their dedication to their land, their livestock and our communities.

That being said, I encourage you to take the time to thank the hard-working individuals of the Canadian agriculture and agri‑food industry every day, since without them, we would not have the same access to the safe, nutritious food that we do today.

Honourable colleagues, the organizers of Canada’s Agriculture Day are once again asking Canadians to put their “forks up for Canadian ag.” I encourage everyone from coast to coast to coast to celebrate Canada’s Agriculture Day by using local ingredients to prepare your meals, engaging with members of your local agricultural communities or even by virtually touring farms around the country to learn more about where your food comes from.

However you chose to celebrate, make sure to do so by raising your forks to our great Canadian food system and using the hashtag #CdnAgDay.

Thank you. Meegwetch.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

The Hon. the Speaker informed the Senate that a message had been received from the House of Commons with Bill C-10, An Act respecting certain measures related to COVID-19.

(Bill read first time.)

Senator Gold: Honourable senator, thank you for the question. This is obviously a question that preoccupies us all. Indeed, we are to begin debate on this very question tomorrow. That is very much the focus of the task with which we are seized. I look forward to sharing my views and answering, in the most fulsome way I can, your question and every other question that senators may have during the debate. I also look forward to hearing your views and those of my colleagues on this most important question.

[Translation]

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. Again, I will have occasion tomorrow to speak to this issue, to elaborate at greater length and to take further questions. Let me simply say that the decision to invoke the Emergencies Act was taken after consultation with all provinces. Not all provinces agreed. The Premier of Ontario — because you cited him — did indicate that he needed the support and that with the plenary tools that he would have at his disposal, he was not one of those provinces that opposed the application and invocation of the act. I think we here in Ottawa and the residents of Ottawa are very happy indeed with the results so far.

Senator Ataullahjan: Senator Gold, Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency on Friday, February 11, which expires on Friday, February 25. Senator Gold, why subject the rest of the country to emergency measures when Ontario had already declared a state of emergency?

Senator Jaffer: Senator Gold, can you please also ask — when the trouble started in Afghanistan, many of us were told to work with NGOs to help the fleeing Afghans to arrive at other places, and we did. And now these people are without funds in other countries. This was done specifically by instructions from people in the government that they would be processed quickly.

May I please ask, what is holding up this process? I work with many women peace builders, and it breaks my heart that I assured them, our government assured them that their visas would be processed quickly. Now they are in Mexico and Portugal and many other areas waiting for our government to process their documents, so may I please also ask you to find out about that? Thank you.

Senator Gold: Senator, I cannot comment on the assumption behind your question, but I certainly will make inquiries and report back.

The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. The issue is a serious one, and one that engages responsibilities of the province, which has ownership of the natural resources. It also engages, of course, the role of the federal government, that works with provinces to assist wherever it can and to provide funding where it can for those efforts.

The Government of Canada appreciates the work of the Parliamentary Budget Office and the report. I will certainly make inquiries as to your specific questions and report back in due course.

Hon. Claude Carignan: My question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Leader, on February 10, the Economist Intelligence Unit issued its annual index on global democracy, which showed that Canada dropped seven spots in two years, from fifth to twelfth place, just ahead of Uruguay.

According to Andrew Potter, associate professor at McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy, one explanation for this situation is the way the Trudeau government managed the pandemic. He said, and I quote:

What has happened over the past two years is that the Prime Minister has basically shut down Parliament for a long time and has been keen to limit the opposition as much as he can . . .

What is more, according to the Democracy Index, the measures that were taken to fight the pandemic accelerated Canadians’ loss of confidence in their institutions. The pandemic led to the normalization of emergency powers and accustomed citizens to a huge extension of state power over large areas of public and personal life.

Aren’t you worried about Canadians’ loss of confidence in our institutions? Don’t you think that the unnecessary use of the Emergencies Act will make this already bad social situation and Canadians’ loss of confidence in our institutions even worse?

Senator Housakos: I’m not questioning whether the banks are protected; it’s the citizens who are not protected, government leader.

Earlier today, during a press conference, Minister Freeland said:

For anyone who is concerned that their accounts may have been frozen because of their participation in these illegal blockades and occupation, the way to get your account unfrozen is to stop being part of the blockade and occupation.

That’s from the Deputy Prime Minister this morning.

Government leader, what in the world does that mean? The blockade has been removed on Wellington. Does that mean their accounts are being returned to them, they are all good now, everything is fine? How does one go about proving to their bank that they are no longer part of a blockade that isn’t out there any longer? Is there some form, affidavit or sworn allegiance to the Liberal Party or Justin Trudeau not to criticize them? How will they get their accounts unfrozen?

Senator Griffin: Thank you for the answer. That was information I had not previously been given, so I’m glad to receive that. In spite of my gladness in receiving it, I’m still concerned about the shortcoming. The government has given you information as to why it cannot do this. If the government chose to, it could apply additional conditions to make this happen. I’m still hopeful that the government will continue to review how it handles bankruptcies and these educational plans. My belief is that if the government wanted to do this, it could. That’s not a question but a statement; I’m sorry.

Hon. Mobina S. B. Jaffer: Honourable senators, my question is also to the leader of the Senate. Senator Gold, I first want to thank you. The last few weeks have been very difficult, especially for you, and you have represented us really well. I want to thank you for the work you have done on our behalf.

I don’t need a response to this question, and this question would have been better last week when my colleagues Senator Ataullahjan and Senator Omidvar asked it. Senator, I just want you to make inquiries about why it’s taking so long, when our country has made a commitment to bring 40,000 Afghan refugees, why is it taking so long to process them?

I am a beneficiary of quick process from Uganda. So were the Syrians and so are many other people who were refugees fleeing from other countries. I just want you to find out what is holding up the processing, because all three of us are getting lots of inquiries. We really need to know what is holding this up so maybe we can tell people to make other arrangements. Thank you, senator.

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Senator, thank you for the question. Again, this is a question that is very much up in the air and will be very much debated here. I will have occasion to speak to this in greater detail.

Suffice it to say that, as we know from the events here and elsewhere, neither the participants in the illegal activities nor the financing of these activities are restricted to one province.

As you will also know — because we are all following the news carefully and with concern — the operations that have been authorized to date under the Emergencies Act have, in fact, been taking place only in those areas where they are needed, as was and is the case here in Ottawa but happily is not necessarily the case elsewhere for the moment. The government has been clear that it will focus the activities only where they are needed and only when responding to the crisis cannot be done adequately with local jurisdictional tools.